<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Rich, Good Kisser by theskipper</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26049574">Rich, Good Kisser</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/theskipper/pseuds/theskipper'>theskipper</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>ATEEZ (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M, Smooching</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 09:54:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,365</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26049574</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/theskipper/pseuds/theskipper</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jongho gets shot in the back with cupid's arrow aka Yeosang's drone</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Choi Jongho/Kang Yeosang</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>153</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Rich, Good Kisser</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is some unbeated self-indulgent fluff I wrote as part of the 1000 Words of August challenge</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jongho let the din of the meeting continue on in the background. The deal was assured, he’d done his part, now it was time for the lawyers and the money people to iron out the details of what they’d agreed to in principle.</p><p>This was his first, big negotiation on his own without his father or one of the vice presidents there to oversee him and Jongho felt...deflated. He should have been proud, exalted to have achieved the first milestone of what was hopefully many more to come, but everything rang a little empty. The flush of success he saw reflected in his team’s faces was missing for him. </p><p>His eyes slipped easily around the private dining room, bland trappings of expense evident in the comfort of the cushions upon which they sat and the dishes they dined from. The lights caught on the gleam of cufflinks and watches of the men gathered around the table. The delicate necklaces and earrings of the women executives shone with each studied movement of their heads and necks.  </p><p>Jongho set his napkin aside and stood, excusing himself.  He stepped through the doorway, sliding the door behind him, sealing off the world of contracts and deals, and let out a deep sigh before turning and crashing into someone balancing multiple dishes on a tray.</p><p>“Shit!” </p><p>Jongho watched in shock as the tray of dishes wobbled precariously on the hand of the waiter before inertia and gravity pulled the whole thing down. There was a loud crash as dishes fell and shattered roughly against the floor.  In the aftermath, the absence of noise made the world seem unnaturally quiet until the door slid open behind him.</p><p>“Jongho-ssi? Are you alright?” his assistant asked.</p><p>“Yes, yeah, this was my fault. I ran into the waiter.”  He directed his attention to the waiter who was standing there with his head down. “I’m sorry. Please let me pay for the damages and the meal to replace this.”</p><p>The manager hurried up to the scene waving away his offer, but Jongho insisted that it was his fault and he needed to take responsibility. After extracting a promise from the manager to allow him to cover the damages and the replacement meal, Jongho again apologized to both the waiter and the manager.</p><p>The waiter kept his head bowed through the exchange, and Jongho felt bad for making his evening more difficult.  Seeing there was nothing more he could do, he waved his assistant back to the private room with a brief murmur that he’d be there shortly.  Stepping delicately around the food splattered all over the floor, he continued down the hall to the restroom.</p><p>Bracing his hands on the sink, Jongho stared at his reflection in the mirror. His reflection gazed back impassively.  “Aish,” Jongho muttered angrily, shaking his head to clear the fog, and jerking on the taps to rinse his hands.</p><p>The bathroom door opened suddenly, startling him. Standing in the doorway was the waiter he’d crashed into. Jongho looked down, the legs of the waiter’s black trousers were spattered with sauce. Stray bits of noodles and vegetables clung to the top of his shoes.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” the waiter spoke hurriedly and bowed, moving to leave Jongho alone in the bathroom.</p><p>“Wait!” Jongho called and the waiter stopped midway out the door.  “I’m sorry, I’m the one who wasn’t looking where I was going.”</p><p>The apology got him an odd look, a flash of something crossing the waiter’s face before it was gone again. “You don’t have to keep apologizing, I was the clumsy one,” he said quietly.</p><p>Jongho shook his head. “No, it was me. Can I-” he paused before continuing, not wanting to be offensive, but also feeling the weight of responsibility for making someone’s life more difficult.  “Can I please pay for clothes cleaning?” He pulled out his wallet, grabbing whatever spare bills he had in there. “I don’t know how much that costs. Is this enough?” He held the money up to the waiter who eyed him with what was unmistakable ill-concealed humor.</p><p>Jongho looked down at the bills in his hand. “This isn’t enough, is it? I don’t mean to insult you, please take this and send me the bill for the difference.  Or the whole amount.”</p><p>“You really shouldn’t go around waving your money like this,” he said. “You might attract the wrong sort. Especially when you don’t know the cost of what you’re offering for.”</p><p>Jongho gulped and his face flushed. He didn’t know the cost of having clothes laundered, never even thought about it before, and now, in the bathroom at a restaurant, after closing a successful deal for his company, he felt even more of a failure.</p><p>His arm faltered, beginning to drop to his side when the waiter stepped forward, the door swiftly closing behind him.  He crossed to Jongho, and dropped his eyes down to the wad of cash in Jongho’s grip.  He prised a few bills from the pile.</p><p>“Put your money away, this will cover cleaning.”</p><p>“Are you sure?”</p><p>The waiter laughed. “How would you know?” He shook his head. “No, I’m not interested in being beholden to men like you. I’ll take what will cover the cleaning, and that’s enough.” He folded the bills and tucked them into his front pocket.</p><p>“Men like me?” Jongho asked.</p><p>The waiter shrugged. “Rich men. Chaebols.”</p><p>“I’m no chaebol,” Jongho scoffed.</p><p>“Is that so?” The waiter looked him up and down. “From where I’m standing, your suit cost more than my rent, your watch could pay my food bill for a year, and your shoes could probably cover my utilities for a bit.”</p><p>Jongho glanced at himself and then back at the waiter noting the difference in their appearance.</p><p>“I didn’t say I wasn’t rich,” he grumbled.</p><p>The waiter laughed. “Rich, chaebol, it’s all the same to me.”  He squeezed past Jongho and took up a space at the sink. Jongho watched in the mirror as the waiter’s nose wrinkled when he looked down at the mess of his clothes.</p><p>“I’m Choi Jongho,” he said, awkwardly, then cursed himself for being such a dork. Why was he introducing himself to a waiter who seemed like the last thing he wanted was Jongho’s time or attention? </p><p>The waiter slowly looked up and met Jongho’s gaze in the mirror.  His mouth quirked and he sighed. “You’re nice too, aren’t you? You have that look about you. Nice, rich, good-looking-,” he trailed off before shaking his head “-it must really have been raining fortunes the day you were born.”</p><p>Jongho’s face burned hot at the casual compliments. The thing was, they didn’t feel like compliments. While normally nice things, they felt almost like accusations coming from the waiter’s mouth and made Jongho’s stomach churn uncomfortably. </p><p>“I think I’m nice.”</p><p>“You’d be amazed how many non-nice people think that, but, like I said, you’ve got that look about you. I’m sure you really are nice.”</p><p>The waiter scrubbed at a stubborn spot of sauce on his shirt. “Ugh, I guess this is as good as it’s going to get.” He washed his hands and Jongho watched as he checked out his hair in the mirror. He had thick black hair tied back in a small ponytail at his neck. Some of the shorter strands around his ear had worked their way free, and the waiter tucked them back behind his ears.  Jongho’s hair had never been long enough to touch his collar even once in his life.</p><p>The waiter finished checking out his hair and met Jongho’s gaze again in the mirror.  He huffed. “Fine. Kang Yeosang. But if you look me up online and try find me I swear I’ll tell everyone bad things about you.”</p><p>“Like what?” Jongho asked.</p><p>“I don’t know like your breath stinks and you fart a lot or something. I’ll figure it out.”</p><p>Jongho chuckled.  “Well then I guess this is our goodbye, Kang Yeosang-ssi.  I wouldn’t want my reputation ruined because of my supposed stink issues.”</p><p>“You’re so weird,” Yeosang muttered.</p><p>“It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve heard that,” Jongho said.</p><p>“Now that I believe.”</p><p>Jongho exited the bathroom and headed back towards the private dining room. Strangely, the melancholy feeling that had chased him from the room no longer seemed present. He noticed a new lightness about him as he grasped the door handle.  Jongho glanced back in time to see Yeosang exit the bathroom and turn the other direction, presumably returning to the kitchen.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p>After the dinner meeting was concluded, a much more festive Jongho took his core team out to a noraebang to celebrate their success. He generously picked up the tab for their drinks and had a blast showing off his balladeering skills every time someone queued up a heartfelt drama OST.</p><p>It was late at night when he found himself on the street outside the noraebang, making sure everyone was either able to walk or taxi home safely.  Once his team was accounted for, Jongho decided to walk a few blocks to try and clear his head from the soju before calling a cab.</p><p>He aimlessly chose a path that took him towards the river. His mood turned wistful as he watched the couples on their late-night dates holding hands and laughing together in private conversations. Choosing to enter a park, he walked a bit more before a pang hit him squarely in the back like a cupid’s arrow.  He turned around and noticed a small drone on the ground at his feet. </p><p>He heard the quick patter of feet rapidly approaching behind him. Mindful that he was alone at night and slightly inebriated, so the perfect mark for a mugging, he planted his feet and turned around swiftly, arm raised, ready to let loose with a punch that he miraculously pulled mere inches from a strangely-familiar face.</p><p>He squinted and cocked his head to the side. “Kang Yeosang-ssi?”</p><p>The other gave a small wave and bow. “I’m sorry, Choi Jongho-ssi. The receiver stopped communicating with my transmitter and so the drone went into a spin. I thought it was far enough away from people to land without hitting anyone but I guess I calculated the distance wrong.”</p><p>“Transmitter?” Jongho dropped his arm.</p><p>“For my drone,” Yeosang said and held up the piece of tech for Jongho.  “I just got a new transmitter last week and was trying it out for the first time tonight, and well, I guess I still have some work to do with it.”</p><p>Jongho was amused by the night and day difference in Yeosang’s demeanor. Earlier, at the restaurant, he’d been somewhat cold and a bit mocking, but now, with cheeks pinkened by either cool night air or the exhilaration of his hobby, he was warm and bubbly.</p><p>“You fly drones?” Jongho asked before mentally kicking himself.</p><p>“You like to ask obvious questions?” Yeosang countered with a smile. “Now we’re even.”</p><p>“Even?”</p><p>“You asked a question you know the answer to and then I asked a question that I know the answer to and now here we are.  I guess it’s your turn again. Are you going to ask me if I’m a waiter?” His words were sharp but there was no actual bite to them.</p><p>Jongho shook his head and bit his cheek. “No, but-” he paused dramatically before leaning forward and saying quietly in Yeosang’s ear, “did you fall into a garbage bag of old food because you stink.”</p><p>Yeosang gave a strangled yell, and Jongho watched as one tiny fist, not clutching his toy, swung and bounced off his upper arm ineffectually.  </p><p>“Is that all you’ve got?”</p><p>“Are you made of iron or something?”</p><p>“That’s me,” Jongho said.  “You’ve found out my secret.  I’m Iron Man.”</p><p>“Ok then, Tony Stark. Have you ever flown a drone?”</p><p>Jongho shook his head.</p><p>“Want to try?”</p><p>Jongho nodded enthusiastically. “Yes!”</p><p>Yeosang grabbed Jongho’s forearm and pulled him further into the park, nearer the river itself. The lights reflecting off the river formed a double reflection of a city above and a city below. Jongho wasn’t sure if it was the late night air or the alcohol still thrumming through his body, but he felt a little like he’d been drawn into the city below with Yeosang. </p><p>Yeosang kneeled down to rummage in a backpack and pulled out what looked like the coolest game controller Jongho had ever seen. “Here, hold this,” he said, handing it to Jongho. </p><p>He stood up, a different drone in his arms, and slung the backpack over his shoulders again. He set the drone on the ground and held out his hands for the controller, which Jongho handed over.  He watched in fascination as Yeosang did a series of motions, flicking levers, pressing buttons, and the drone responded with small shifts and whirs and lights flashing. Once he was satisfied, Yeosang gave a small nod and looked up to Jongho.</p><p>“Ready?”</p><p>Jongho nodded.</p><p>The drone on the ground came to life with its lights on and propellers whirring.  It lifted off slowly but steadily, hovering just inches from the ground while Yeosang adjusted some things on the controller.  Once he seemed ready, he brought the drone up higher, hovering it around Jongho’s face.</p><p>“Say cheese!”</p><p>Jongho threw up a “v” with his fingers and heard the telltale snap of a photo being taken.  Yeosang directed the drone to fly in circles around Jongho’s head while he turned, trying to keep his eye on it like a dog eyeing a treat.</p><p>Laughing, Yeosang brought the drone up higher and then did a series of rolls and tricks with it that had Jongho impressed.</p><p>“Come here,” Yeosang said, after the latest barrel-roll.  Jongho went to stand by his side.  “This controls the height and this controls the direction.  Try moving it.”</p><p>Jongho gently pushed the lever to the right, scared to make a drastic change and felt his heart jump as the drone responded, jerking to the side.  “I made it move!” </p><p>Yeosang smiled.  “You did.  Try again?”</p><p>Jongho moved the lever again, a little more boldly, and watched the drone jerk back the other way.  “I can’t do it smoothly like you do,” he said with a pout.</p><p>“Practice,” Yeosang said teasingly.  He offered the whole controller over to Jongho.</p><p>“But what if I crash?” Jongho asked.</p><p>“Then you try again,” Yeosang said simply. “Don’t worry, it’s my trainer drone.  Although judging by the cash you offered me earlier, you could easily replace all my drones with updated models and not break a sweat.”</p><p>Jongho rolled his eyes, and emboldened, stepped forward to accept the controller.  “It’s like a game controller.”</p><p>“It’s called a transmitter, and that’s exactly what it is.”</p><p>“Show me again?” Jongho asked.</p><p>Yeosang pressed up against Jongho’s side and placed his hand gently over Jongho’s, guiding it from one control to the next explaining what it did and exerting gentle pressure against Jongho’s hand to move the control and the drone.</p><p>It didn’t take Jongho long to pick up on the basics and his first flip was punctuated with a loud whoop that echoed through the park.  </p><p>They stood close together, watching the drone cut across the night sky, sometimes drawing the attention of late night onlookers and sometimes just the two of them in their own little world.</p><p>The transmitter in Jongho’s hand beeped warningly.  “What does that mean?”</p><p>“Low battery,” Yeosang said.  “Better bring it back in. I don’t have any extra charged batteries with me tonight, so I guess that’s it.”</p><p>Jongho fought against the disappointment swelling in his chest.  He wasn’t ready for the night to be over.</p><p>“Do you like coffee?” he asked.</p><p>Yeosang lifted an eyebrow as he maneuvered the drone back towards them.</p><p>“Yes, but not at 2 in the morning.”</p><p>Jongho glanced at his watch incredulously.  It was 2 AM.  He’d been out here with Yeosang flying drones for hours.</p><p>“Oh, uh, yeah, that’s--I didn’t realize it was this late.”</p><p>“Chaebols,” Yeosang muttered as he turned off the transmitter and packed it into its own special case before tucking it into his backpack.</p><p>“I told you, I’m not a chaebol.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, rich kid.”</p><p>“I’m not a kid either,” Jongho said with a pout.</p><p>“That pout right there says otherwise. Come on, not-a-chaebol, let’s go grab a taxi.  You may be able to laze around in the lap of luxury all day, but I have to work tomorrow.” He turned and headed towards the park exit.</p><p>“Hey!” Jongho yelled and hurried after him. “I work. In fact, I closed a deal today on my own. That’s why I was at the restaurant earlier.”</p><p>“Congratulations,” Yeosang offered.</p><p>“Thanks,” Jongho replied. “I thought I’d feel more excited when it was done, but flying a drone was way more exciting.”</p><p>“Flying a drone was more exciting than making money?” Yeosang said incredulously.</p><p>Jongho shrugged. “Yeah?”</p><p>Yeosang stopped abruptly and faced Jongho.  “You’re really something, not-a-chaebol.”</p><p>Jongho felt a frisson of excitement travel up and down his spine. His mouth went a little dry, and he could feel his stomach fluttering like before he gave big presentations at work.</p><p>“Don’t punch me,” Yeosang said.</p><p>“What?” Jongho was confused.</p><p>“Just---don’t, like, hurt me,” he said and stepped forward so their lips were a hairsbreadth apart. Jongho sucked in a breath, startled, but made no move to back away. Yeosang stared into his eyes, silently looking for something.  Jongho, knowing the next move was his, breached the distance and pressed his lips against Yeosang’s.</p><p>The kiss wasn’t much at first, just a pressing of lips on lips, and then Yeosang tilted his head slightly and his lips grew softer, more pliant, but also more demanding, coaxing from Jongho what he wanted which Jongho happily gave. </p><p>“We need to stop,” Yeosang whispered between them into the heated air.</p><p>“Don’t want to,” Jongho replied.</p><p>A small huff of laughter was swallowed by Jongho leaning in for another kiss.</p><p>The next time their lips parted, Yeosang took a physical step back from Jongho, and he immediately felt a perplexing sensation of loss.  This was Yeosang, someone whom he’d spent a handful of hours in the company of, so why did it feel like he was losing something when they separated?</p><p>“You’re way better at that than I expected.”</p><p>Jongho furrowed his brow in confusion. “Thanks, I guess? Do I look like a bad kisser or something?”</p><p>Yeosang shrugged.  “You’re kind of young and you look like you probably sleep in suits, like a never-nude, so I mean, maybe?”</p><p>“Wow.”</p><p>A shadow crossed Yeosang’s face. “I’m sorry, that was harsh. I...I forget that not everyone is used to my particular brand of honesty.”</p><p>Yeosang’s comment didn’t sting as much as come across as shockingly blunt, but as Jongho watched Yeosang’s shoulders creep up towards his ears in embarrassment, he wanted to ease his concern.  “Well, I am young, probably younger than you, anyway, and I can promise you there are several things I get naked for.”</p><p>Yeosang’s shoulders visibly relaxed. “Such as?”</p><p>“Showers,” Jongho held up a hand and ticked items off.  “Sleeping. Sex, unless there’s role play with costumes involved.”</p><p>Yeosang’s eyes widened.  “Role play?”</p><p>“I’m kidding,” Jongho laughed. “I’ve never tried it, but I’m not against it.”</p><p>“Noted.” </p><p>Jongho watched as Yeosang fiddled with his phone, presumably hailing a taxi.  A few moments later, he was happy when Yeosang handed it over and told him to enter his number even if he did glare at “Jongho - Rich, Good Kisser” as his name.</p><p>A second later his own phone indicated a message from Yeosang which he saved under “Yeosang - Smells but Cute” which he showed off to Yeosang with a flourish. At Yeosang’s squawk of outrage, Jongho tucked his phone into his pocket and refused to change the display name.</p><p>“I guess you’ll have to convince me to add a different description,” he said.</p><p>Yeosang mock-pouted as the two made their way to the road to wait for the taxi which pulled up mere seconds later.  </p><p>“Sleep well, Kang Yeosang-ssi,” Jongho said with a quick brush of lips against Yeosang’s cheek. Jongho carried Yeosang’s wide eyes and his blush-ravaged cheeks in his heart as he made his own way home. </p><p> </p><p>***</p><p>Jongho entered his apartment the next day, using the towel draped over his shoulders to wipe the sweat from his brow.  Mingi trailed after him.</p><p>“I can’t believe we creamed them!” Jongho exclaimed as he grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge. “We were on fire today,” he said, tossing one of the waters over to Mingi who was sprawled on the couch.</p><p>“You were on fire, I could barely keep up,” Mingi complained.  “What’s gotten into you?”</p><p>Jongho took a gulp of water.  “Nothing,” he said.</p><p>“Bullshit. You were playing like Son Heung-min in the championship. No one had a chance against you today.”</p><p>Jongho leaned back on his sofa and settled his feet on the table in front of him.  “I don’t know. I guess I was just feeling it today.”</p><p>“Did you get laid or something?”</p><p>Jongho let out a bark of laughter.  “I wish.”</p><p>Mingi straightened and leaned forward.  “Wait a minute.  That look.  I know that look.”</p><p>“What look?”</p><p>Mingi swirled his finger in Jongho’s face.  “That look, that one.”  </p><p>Jongho shoved his finger away.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I have no look except the look of victory.”</p><p>Mingi’s eyes narrowed.  “Yup, you’ve got the look,” he said and leaned back in his seat.  “So who’s the lucky person that’s caught your eye.”</p><p>Jongho gave up, exasperated.  “How do you know that?”</p><p>A cocky smile crept across Mingi’s face.  “I know you think I’m all beauty, but I do have a brain up here, you know,” he said, tapping his temple.  “Besides I remember you sophomore year of college following hyung around like you just discovered what your dick was for.”</p><p>“You promised never to mention that again,” Jongho growled.</p><p>“Oops,” Mingi said without an ounce of contrition in his expression.  “So who is it? Fresh meat at the office? No, that’s not right, you like them older. Someone at the gym catch your eye?”</p><p>“I’m not telling you anything,” Jongho said.</p><p>“Hyung’ll find out and tell me.”</p><p>“Not if I don’t tell hyung.”</p><p>“Don’t tell hyung what?” A new voice broke into their conversation.</p><p>“Jongho-yah’s got a crush on someone,” Mingi said, ignoring Jongho’s death glare.</p><p>Jongho turned to Hongjoong and tried to play it off.  “I met someone and we hung out and it was nice. That’s it.”</p><p>“Are you going to hang out again?” Hongjoong asked.</p><p>“Maybe? I hope so.”</p><p>“Knock it off,” Hongjoong lightly smacked the back of Mingi’s head to stop his raunchy hip pumping moves as he contributed what exactly the type of ‘hanging out’ should be.</p><p>“What are you doing here, hyung?” Jongho asked, ignoring Mingi.</p><p>Hongjoong looked like he hadn’t slept in a week.  His hair was a wreck, sticking out from under his cap. He had on a pair of glasses and his outfit was more weekend laze-around-the-house than his normal artful attire.  “This new project just isn’t coming together for me so I thought I’d distract myself and see if you were around.”</p><p>Jongho had first met Hongjoong when he was still in high school through a community choir. He’d shown up to audition in secret, not wanting to tell his parents in case they didn’t like the idea of him taking time away from cram school to sing.  Sitting nervously outside the audition room by himself, he’d been ready to call it quits and catch the next bus back home when Hongjoong had plopped down and started talking to him like they were old friends.</p><p>By the end of the week, Jongho had passed his audition, told his parents he was now singing in a choir, and had acquired Hongjoong’s KKT ID.  It was probably one of the best weeks of Jongho’s life.  Their twosome easily became a threesome when Jongho was assigned to room with Mingi at university. The older boy had intimidated him a little at first with his loud and boisterous personality, but they’d discovered a mutual love of music and one-upmanship and fell into a fast friendship.</p><p>“Does this discussion involve food because I’m starving?” Mingi asked.</p><p>Hongjoong raised an eyebrow.  “You’re always hungry.”</p><p>Mingi stuck out his lower lip. “Feed me, hyung, I’m soooo hungry.” He patted his belly disconsolately.</p><p>“Fine” Hongjoong said with a loud sigh, acting put-upon in a way they all knew was an act.</p><p>“Where are we going?” Jongho asked.</p><p>Hongjoong looked down at himself.  “Noodle shop down the block?”</p><p>“Perfect!” Jongho said.  He grabbed a zippered hoodie, throwing it over his muscle tank and shorts.  The ahjumma there loved them, especially Mingi, so there was no need to get dressed up.  He slid a cap on his head to cover up his mess of hair.</p><p>The three covered the distance to the noodle shop quickly, chatting easily. When they got there, the ahjumma welcomed them warmly and shooed them over to their usual table, not even giving them a chance to order.  </p><p>Midway through their meal, Mingi started acting weird.  He kept craning his neck to see around Hongjoong and squinting his eyes.</p><p>“What are you doing?” Hongjoong finally asked.</p><p>“I think I see someone from work over there, but he’s at a table behind others, so I can only get little glances.”</p><p>Both Jongho and Hongjoong peered over in the direction Mingi indicated.  Jongho saw a table with a couple young men at it but it was hard to see their faces with the other tables in between them. There was one man with a swoop of dark hair obscuring the side of his face. Jongho trailed his eyes over the other occupant of the table and straightened up quickly.  When the man turned to speak to their companion, Jongho could have sworn the profile was that of Yeosang.</p><p>The next couple minutes were an exercise in comedy as both Jongho and Mingi were now trying to get a good look at the occupants of the table across the way.</p><p>“Are you serious right now? I take you out to eat and pay for your meals and you’re both looking across the room like a couple of squirrels eyeing up a better pile of nuts.”</p><p>Unfortunately, Hongjoong’s rant caught the attention of the other tables in the restaurant as several heads swung their way.</p><p>A moment later one of the occupants from the other table came over.  “Song Mingi-ssi?”</p><p>“Park Seonghwa-ssi, I’m sorry to interrupt your meal. I thought that was you but wasn’t sure and if it was I didn’t want to seem rude but I also didn’t want to interrupt you if you were a stranger--” Mingi stopped rambling after Jongho jabbed his ribs.  “Ow,” he muttered and rubbed the sore spot.</p><p>Mingi made introductions.  Jongho thought perhaps Hongjoong and Seonghwa’s eyes locked a bit longer than was strictly polite, but his attention was quickly drawn away by a familiar voice.</p><p>“Rich, Good Kisser, nice to see you again,” Yeosang said with a smirk.</p><p>“What?” Mingi exclaimed. He looked back and forth between Jongho and Yeosang adding up 2+2 quickly and getting 4.  “You told me you didn’t get any, you filthy liar,” he muttered and dug his own elbow into Jongho’s side in retribution.</p><p>Hongjoong and Seonghwa looked back and forth in confusion.</p><p>“Smells, but Cute,” Jongho said and the butterflies that he thought he’d left in the park returned to his stomach full fledged.</p><p>“Oh my god you guys have pet names for each other already?” Mingi chortled.</p><p>“I’m...confused?” Hongjoong said.</p><p>“This is the guy who dumped food on me and offered to be my sugar daddy in the bathroom of the restaurant.”</p><p>“WHAT?!” echoed loudly from three mouths.</p><p>Jongho face burned in embarrassment.  “That’s not exactly what happened and you know it,” he shot a dark look at Yeosang who was so obviously enjoying the upper hand right now.</p><p>“You ran into me and dumped food all over me, correct?” Yeosang said and held up a finger.</p><p>“But it was an accident!”</p><p>Yeosang held up another finger. “In the bathroom you offered me a fistful of cash.”</p><p>“For cleaning your clothes!” Jongho tried to clarify.  “Besides you were the one who kissed me in the park,” he declared triumphantly.</p><p>“How did we go from a bathroom to kisses in a park?” Hongjoong asked.</p><p>“Ssssh, hyung, this is getting good,” Mingi hissed and waved his hand to quiet Hongjoong.</p><p>“Excuse me, I believe you were the one who kissed me,” Yeosang said.</p><p>“This kissage was mutual,” Jongho declared.</p><p>Yeosang narrowed his eyes.  “Agreed.”</p><p>“I’m very confused by all of this,” Seonghwa said.</p><p>“So, like, that’s it?” Mingi asked, disappointed.</p><p>“I flew his drone too,” Jongho said.</p><p>“Is that a metaphor?” Mingi asked.</p><p>“No!” Jongho shouted.</p><p>“Wait, you let him fly your drone?” Seonghwa asked.</p><p>“Just a training one,” Yeosang said defensively.</p><p>“But you don’t even let Wooyoung touch your drones, training ones or not.” Seonghwa looked at Jongho with curiosity and a gentle smile.  “Interesting.”</p><p>“It’s not ‘interesting’. Don’t say it like that,” Yeosang whined.</p><p>Seonghwa hmmmed in a way that made Jongho, who didn’t know him, believe that he completely disregarded Yeosang’s rebuttal.  Jongho felt satisfied that he was allowed to fly Yeosang’s drone, even though Wooyoung, whoever that was, wasn’t allowed to. It made him feel special.</p><p>There were a few more minutes of polite small talk, mainly between Seonghwa and Mingi, while Jongho drank in the unexpected sight of Yeosang.  Yeosang and Seonghwa departed shortly thereafter.  There was a moment of silence in the wake of their absence before Mingi, who could always be trusted to do so, broke it.</p><p>“So that’s who all the fuss was about earlier, huh? Our little Jongho-yah has fallen fast and hard.  I like him,” he said decisively.</p><p>“You don’t know him,” Jongho replied.</p><p>“So? What’s to know besides he’s cute, he keeps you on your toes, and if he’s friends with Seonghwa-ssi, then I’m sure he’s a good person. You could do worse.”</p><p>Jongho marveled at the simplicity of Mingi’s world sometimes.  He caught a lot of flack for it in college, and it had taken Jongho a while to understand, but Mingi didn’t complicate things. He lived and saw the world straightforward and simply without adding unnecessary complications to things.</p><p>“Right, hyung?” Mingi looked to Hongjoong for approval, but Hongjoong was lost in his own little world.</p><p>“I’m sorry, what?” he asked.</p><p>Mingi dissolved into a pout at Hongjoong not listening to him which Jongho tuned out.  He slid his phone out of his pocket and typed a quick message.</p><p>
  <em>So you don’t let all the boys play with your drone</em>
</p><p>A second later he received a reply:</p><p>
  <em>Shut up</em>
</p><p>It was followed by:</p><p>
  <em>No</em>
</p><p>And then:</p><p>
  <em>You look hot in the cap</em>
</p><p>Jongho glowed with happiness for the rest of the afternoon.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p>The next few weeks unfolded happily for Jongho.  Work was going well after his deal. He’d made his father proud and brought the prestige of success to their company. He wasn’t being falsely modest when he told Yeosang he wasn’t a chaebol. Their business was successful, and he’d grown up with plenty of money, but they definitely weren’t part of some conglomerate.  He’d watched his father working hard as he’d grown up and taken that lesson to heart.  When Jongho had decided to study business in school and then come work for the company, he’d followed his own father’s example, working hard and taking his responsibilities seriously.</p><p>Mingi kept giving him hell about Yeosang every time they talked, but it was hard to fault him for it because he and Yeosang were talking...a lot.  Messages had turned to video calls which had evolved to casual meet-ups that were so obviously dates judging by the way both would show up freshly showered, slightly nervous, and in nice clothes.  Each meeting ended with furtive, quick kisses, if in public, or long, hot makeout sessions if in private.</p><p>Being with Yeosang was exhilarating.. It didn’t matter if they were bickering over which candy to purchase before watching the movie or holding hands in the darkened theater, </p><p>Jongho loved spending time with Yeosang.  Not only was Yeosang handsome, he was whip-smart and had a sly sense of humor that Jongho appreciated. As he’d noticed in their first meetings, Yeosang was also bluntly honest, sometimes hurtfully sharp, but his intentions were good, so Jongho accepted this as part of his personality.  Yeosang was a bit guarded, but the more Jongho kept up with him, the more Yeosang relaxed and let his guard down.</p><p>Besides Jongho knew he had plenty of his own faults.  Despite being younger, he was bossy and stubborn, at times unnecessarily mulish with his hyung who took it in stride. Their individual sharp edges seemed to not dull with one another, but fit together, like puzzle pieces.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p>“If you don’t stop, we’re going to be late,” Jongho muttered breathlessly as he tightened his grip on Yeosang’s hips.</p><p>Yeosang traced a line of kisses from Jongho’s ear down the column of his neck.  He lifted his head and asked, “Do you want me to stop?”</p><p>Jongho groaned. “No. But also, yes.”</p><p>Yeosang chuckled lowly. “Poor baby,” he said before leaning in and pressing his lips to Jongho’s.  </p><p>Yeosang’s whole body melted into Jongho’s in a tantalizing slide that made every nerve ending in his body feel like it was on fire.  Jongho wanted nothing more than to heft Yeosang in his arms and carry him to the bedroom, lay him in the middle of his bed, and take him apart all night long.  But it was half past eight and they were already really late to meet Yeosang’s friend, Wooyoung, for dinner.</p><p>When they finally stumbled into the restaurant, punch-drunk on stolen touches in the back of the taxi, Wooyoung gave them an all-seeing look before declaring them both gross and adorable while also scolding them for being late.</p><p>Jongho’s nerves at meeting Yeosang’s oldest friend, Wooyoung, were immediately set at ease by the older man’s quick smiles and remarkable laugh. Jongho couldn’t help but notice that Wooyoung was outgoing where Yeosang was introverted and yet Wooyoung was able to coax a playfulness out of Yeosang that Jongho found entrancing.</p><p>Watching the two of them argue over a story of just who was responsible for them deciding to dye their hair blonde in a fit of sleepless bad judgement during exam time, Jongho felt a lightness in his heart. Seeing Yeosang happy and unfettered like this was something he wanted to witness more often. And if he could be the one to inspire it, all the better.</p><p>“You were quiet during dinner,” Yeosang commented when the two of them were alone later sipping coffee and window shopping.  “I hope we weren’t too much. I forget sometimes that you haven’t been a part of my life forever,” he said.</p><p>Jongho stopped in his tracks while Yeosang continued sipping through his straw and eyeing up the hats on display in the window. The casual admission that Jongho had a place in Yeosang’s life fanned the already burning flames in his heart.</p><p>“Jongho-yah?” Yeosang noticed he wasn’t next to him any longer.</p><p>Jongho stepped close to Yeosang and slid his hand from the nape of his neck up into his hair, cupping the back of his head before kissing Yeosang with a consuming hunger.</p><p>“Not that I’m complaining, but what was that?” Yeosang asked.</p><p>“Want to get out of here?” Jongho asked.</p><p>Yeosang’s eyes widened.  “And go where?” he asked breathlessly.</p><p>“My place?” Jongho asked.  “We don’t have to do anything, if you don’t want to. We can just watch Netflix or-”</p><p>The rest of his sentence was cut off by Yeosang’s. “Take me to bed or lose me forever, Jongho-yah,” he said with a sly grin.</p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p>The next morning Jongho awoke to an empty bed and the sounds of angry cursing coming from the kitchen. Jongho slipped on a pair of sweatpants and made his way out to the living area. Yeosang was in the kitchen engaged in an epic battle with his coffee maker. Jongho leaned against the counter and watched as he cursed and pushed buttons in a futile effort to get the thing working.</p><p>Finally sighing in defeat, Yeosang turned around and promptly jumped a foot in the air at Jongho standing there, watching him with undisguised fondness.  “Your coffee machine hates me,” he said.</p><p>“Don’t take it personally, it hates everyone but hyung,” Jongho admitted.  “He’s the only one who can coax half-decent coffee out of it.”</p><p>“So why do you keep it?” </p><p>“I don’t give up on things just because they’re temperamental,” Jongho said.</p><p>“Is that so?” </p><p>“I thought it’d be obvious by now,” Jongho admitted.</p><p>“That you like challenges?” Yeosang sauntered forward, the stolen shirt he’d slipped on his narrower frame sliding down a little exposing his neck and collarbone dotted with Jongho’s marks. </p><p>Jongho rested his hands on Yeosang’s waist and placed a kiss against his temple. Yeosang slid his hands up and around Jongho’s neck as he tilted his head back in wanton invitation.  Jongho traced kisses down the column of Yeosang’s neck, biting gently where it met his collarbone. His hands gripped Yeosang’s waist tighter as he pressed their bodies together and captured Yeosang’s mouth with his own. Yeosang kissed with a ferocity that set every nerve-ending in Jongho’s body afire. His mouth was a sensuous promise and tempting tease all in one, and Jongho was ready to meet his sweet death.</p><p>Where the night before had been fun and exploratory and full of laughs as they got used to one another’s bodies, this morning was intense and passionate with heavy sighs and moans in place of laughs. Eyes that shied away in the glow of lamp light the night before met and held in the unforgiving light of day.  Hands that had clenched pillows or sheets were instead entwined together, sweaty palm to sweaty palm.  After they came, they didn’t fall asleep but instead lay facing one another on the bed, Jongho’s arm loosely resting on Yeosang’s waist. The sweat on their naked bodies drying in the air-conditioned air.</p><p>Jongho was content. He knew what he wanted, and that was Yeosang, by his side, in his bed, smiling at him, laughing in unabandoned joy, sharing late-night noodles and watching movies, flying drones, all of it. He wanted to open his life to Yeosang and watch him make room for himself. Jongho was ready to take that leap. The only question was Yeosang ready to do the same?</p><p>Jongho withdrew his arm and watched as Yeosang’s face went from relaxed to more aware, perhaps a little tense.</p><p>“I’d like to talk,” Jongho said, sitting up.</p><p>Yeosang also sat up, nodding slowly. “Okay,” he said warily.</p><p>“About us,” Jongho clarified.</p><p>“I kind of assumed,” Yeosang said.</p><p>Jongho took a deep breath, trying to organize his thoughts like he did at work when making pitches in meetings.  “I like you-” he started.</p><p>“If you want me to leave, just say it. Don’t waste my time, or yours, with some bullshit,” Yeosang said.</p><p>“What?” Jongho asked, confused.</p><p>“What?” Yeosang said defensively.  “I get it, we finally had sex and now you’re trying to give me the ‘it’s not you’ line so that you can gracefully slide back out of my life and fully into your own without being the bad guy.”</p><p>Jongho sat in stunned silence as Yeosang got out of bed and began angrily jerking on his pants and picking up clothes from the floor, bundling them in his arm.</p><p>“Those are my shirts,” Jongho pointed out.</p><p>Yeosang glanced down, seemingly unaware that he’d been grabbing Jongho’s clothes instead of his own.  He huffed and threw them on the floor, picking his own up.  “Fine. Keep your stuffy shirts for your stuffy job in your stuffy office.”  His hand popped out the neck hole of his shirt.  Jongho tried not to laugh but watching Yeosang angrily battle his way into his t-shirt was weirdly endearing.</p><p>“You know what you are?” Yeosang asked.</p><p>“Stuffy?” Jongho ventured a guess.</p><p>Yeosang closed his mouth on whatever he’d been about to say and appeared to think for a moment.  “Yes,” he agreed, “but also a jerkity…..jerk. Just because you’re rich and handsome and strong and a <em>really</em> good kisser doesn’t mean you can treat people like they’re disposable.”</p><p>Jongho felt his mirth fade away.  “I’m sorry if I ever made you feel disposable,” he said deadly serious.</p><p>“Sincere, shit, you’re so sincere too.” Yeosang deflated a little and sank down on the end of the bed with his back to Jongho. “It’s my own fault for getting caught up in everything. I shouldn’t have let my guard down. You didn’t promise me anything,” he said sadly.</p><p>Jongho scooted closer to Yeosang, carefully watching his body language. It wasn’t welcoming, but neither was he shying away from Jongho’s proximity so Jongho decided to risk it.  He closed the last little distance between them and rested his chin on Yeosang’s shoulder.  “Can I speak now?”</p><p>Yeosang nodded minutely, and his shoulders slumped.</p><p>“You’re right, we didn’t make any promises to each other so we could conceivably walk away with some bruised feelings and tender hearts and be done with it.”  Jongho cast his eyes to Yeosang’s drawn profile. “And that’s what I wanted to talk to you about, but not in the way you assumed.”</p><p>Yeosang’s whole body froze and it seemed to Jongho as if he was leaning against a marble statue.</p><p>“I want to make a promise to you, to date you and only you. To treat you well and make you happy. To earn your trust and maybe, one day, your love. I want to get to know you, and let you get to know me, both the good parts and the parts that need work.”</p><p>Yeosang turned to look at Jongho. “What?”</p><p>“I’m asking to date you, exclusively you, to see if we want to take this further, whatever that means.”</p><p>“You want to date me?” Yeosang asked unbelievingly.</p><p>“Yes,” Jongho replied.</p><p>“Date me. Not stop seeing me?”</p><p>“Yes, date you. Keep seeing you. See more of you, even, if you’ll let me.”</p><p>“That’s what you wanted to say?”</p><p>“Before your outburst? Yeah, I wanted to see if you wanted to make the dating thing official and exclusive and stuff.”</p><p>“Why did you start it out like that then?” Yeosang wailed and dug his bony elbow back into Jongho’s side. “You made me think you were trying to throw me out!”</p><p>Jongho yelped in pain. “I didn’t mean to! I didn’t know you were going to yell at me and call me stuffy and try and steal my shirts.”</p><p>Yeosang turned around so he was facing Jongho.  He rearranged his body so he was straddling Jongho’s lap and draped his arms around Jongho’s shoulders.  “We’re going to need to work on your communication skills.”</p><p>“Oh we are?” Jongho asked teasingly.</p><p>Yeosang smiled and nodded. “It’s okay, I’m up for the challenge.”</p><p>“I don’t know, I’m a lot of work,” Jongho said.</p><p>“Can I tell you a secret?”</p><p>Jongho nodded.  </p><p>“I love your stuffy work shirts. You’re so buttoned up and proper and professional and it’s sexy as hell.” He pressed a kiss to Jongho’s lips before pulling back suddenly. “Have you ever considered a waistcoat?”</p><p>Jongho smiled and chased Yeosang’s lips with his own. “For you, I’ll try it,” he murmured before sealing their lips in a kiss.</p><p>When Yeosang finally pulled back, Jongho thought he’d never looked more beautiful. His hair was in disarray, his shirt was on backwards, but his eyes were light and his smile was gleaming.  </p><p>“Tell me something about you I don’t know,” Yeosang urged.</p><p>“Wait until you can see what I can do with fruit,” Jongho said.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Why yes, that was a corny Top Gun reference you read :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>